Abuja – There was a scene of chaos and high drama on Thursday afternoon when an unidentified minibus driver physically confronted an officer of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), preventing him from leaving the scene after a heated enforcement dispute.
The confrontation, which drew a large crowd of onlookers and stalled traffic for nearly an hour, began when the FRSC official allegedly unscrewed and confiscated the driver’s vehicle license plate following a routine stop.
Heated Exchange
Eyewitnesses report that the situation turned volatile when the driver noticed his plate number had been removed. However, the driver’s grievance quickly escalated from traffic enforcement to a criminal accusation. In a video of the incident circulating on social media, the driver is seen clinging to the officer’s uniform, shouting that a significant sum of money kept in the vehicle’s dashboard compartment had gone missing during the inspection.
“You took my plate and you took my money! I am not letting you go anywhere today until my money is back!” the driver screamed as he blocked the officer from entering the patrol vehicle.
The Allegations
The driver alleged that while he was being “interrogated” by one officer outside the vehicle, another had leaned into the cabin, where the cash—intended for his daily “balance” to the bus owner—was kept.
The FRSC officer, who appeared visibly shaken but tried to maintain professional composure, denied the allegations of theft, insisting that the plate number was removed due to the driver’s failure to produce a valid driver’s license and for operating a vehicle with expired papers.
Public Intervention
The standoff created a divide among the gathering crowd. While some commuters urged the driver to release the officer and take the matter to the nearest station, a vocal group of commercial drivers sided with their colleague, demanding a search of the patrol vehicle and the officers involved.
“This is getting out of hand,” noted a passenger who was caught in the gridlock. “If the man says his money is missing, they should follow him to the police station to settle it instead of this physical struggle on the highway.”
Official Response
The drama was eventually de-escalated when a police patrol team arrived at the scene. Both the minibus driver and the FRSC team were escorted to the local police division for further investigation.
Contacted for comment, a spokesperson for the FRSC Command stated that the Corps has a “zero-tolerance policy for professional misconduct” but cautioned against the physical harassment of officers on duty.
“We are aware of the incident. While we investigate the allegation of missing funds, we must remind the public that obstructing an officer in the performance of their legal duty is a serious offense,” the spokesperson said.
As at the time of this report, it remains unclear if the missing money was recovered or if charges will be filed against either party.
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